The Melbourne Rebels have made a second administrative cross-code poaching move, with Danny Corcoran joining the new Super Rugby franchise.

Corcoran, who cut his teeth at AFL clubs Essendon and Melbourne before spending the last six years as chief executive of Athletics Australia, will be the Rebels' inaugural general manager of rugby operations.

Corcoran will report to Rebels chief executive Brian Waldron, who had previously filled the same role at NRL powerhouse Melbourne Storm and AFL club St Kilda.

"I'm looking forward to getting back into professional team sport, where you win or you lose, you regroup and you're part of a team that goes in to battle every week," said Corcoran.

"That's one massive difference from the world of athletics, where you have major championships every two or four years and sometimes it's a long time to have that contact with the cut and thrust of sport at the coalface."

Corcoran has given AA president Rob Fildes an assurance he won't leave until the process of finding his successor as CEO is well advanced.

But he will be kept abreast of the Rebels' ongoing player recruitment program, which has already landed several big-name internationals including Stirling Mortlock, Danny Cipriani and Gareth Delve.

Corcoran joined AA in 2004 when the sport was rebuilding in the wake of a wide-ranging review by the Australian Sports Commission.

"Danny has left the sport much better than he found it and his contribution has been most valuable to Australian athletics," said Fildes.

"Athletics Australia has indeed improved its position in a far-ranging variety of disciplines that Danny has worked on."

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